English Synonyms and Antonyms Part 23

_Authentic_ is, however, used by reputable writers as synonymous with _genuine_, tho usually where genuineness carries a certain authority. We speak of _accepted_ conclusions, _certain_ evidence, _current_ money, _genuine_ letters, a _legitimate_ conclusion or _legitimate_ authority, _original_ ma.n.u.scripts, _real_ value, _received_ interpretation, _sure_ proof, a _true_ statement, a _trustworthy_ witness, a _veritable_ discovery.

Antonyms:

apocryphal, counterfeit, exploded, false, spurious, baseless, disputed, fabulous, fict.i.tious, unauthorized.

AUXILIARY.

Synonyms:

accessory, ally, coadjutor, helper, promoter, aid, a.s.sistant, confederate, mercenary, subordinate.

An _auxiliary_ is a person or thing that helps in a subordinate capacity. _Allies_ unite as equals; _auxiliaries_ are, at least technically, inferiors or subordinates. Yet the _auxiliary_ is more than a mere _a.s.sistant_. The word is oftenest found in the plural, and in the military sense; _auxiliaries_ are troops of one nation uniting with the armies, and acting under the orders, of another. _Mercenaries_ serve only for pay; _auxiliaries_ often for reasons of state, policy, or patriotism as well. Compare ACCESSORY; APPENDAGE.

Antonyms:

antagonist, hinderer, opponent, opposer.

Prepositions:

The auxiliaries _of_ the Romans; an auxiliary _in_ a good cause; an auxiliary _to_ learning.

AVARICIOUS.

Synonyms:

close, greedy, n.i.g.g.ardly, penurious, sordid, covetous, miserly, parsimonious, rapacious, stingy.

_Avaricious_ and _covetous_ refer especially to acquisition, _miserly_, _n.i.g.g.ardly_, _parsimonious_, and _penurious_ to expenditure. The _avaricious_ man has an eager craving for money, and ordinarily desires both to get and to keep, the _covetous_ man to get something away from its possessor; tho one may be made _avaricious_ by the pressure of great expenditures. _Miserly_ and _n.i.g.g.ardly_ persons seek to gain by mean and petty savings; the _miserly_ by stinting themselves, the _n.i.g.g.ardly_ by stinting others. _Parsimonious_ and _penurious_ may apply to one's outlay either for himself or for others; in the latter use, they are somewhat less harsh and reproachful terms than _n.i.g.g.ardly_. The _close_ man holds like a vise all that he gets. _Near_ and _nigh_ are provincial words of similar import. The _rapacious_ have the robber instinct, and put it in practise in some form, as far as they dare. The _avaricious_ and _rapacious_ are ready to reach out for gain; the _parsimonious_, _miserly_, and _n.i.g.g.ardly_ prefer the safer and less adventurous way of avoiding expenditure. _Greedy_ and _stingy_ are used not only of money, but often of other things, as food, etc. The _greedy_ child wishes to enjoy everything himself; the _stingy_ child, to keep others from getting it.

Antonyms:

bountiful, free, generous, liberal, munificent, prodigal, wasteful.

Preposition:

The monarch was avaricious _of_ power.

AVENGE.

Synonyms:

punish, retaliate, revenge, vindicate, visit.

_Avenge_ and _revenge_, once close synonyms, are now far apart in meaning. To _avenge_ is to _visit_ some offense with punishment, in order to _vindicate_ the righteous, or to uphold and ill.u.s.trate the right by the suffering or destruction of the wicked. "And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he _avenged_ him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian," _Acts_ vii, 24. To _revenge_ is to inflict harm or suffering upon another through personal anger and resentment at something done to ourselves. _Avenge_ is unselfish; _revenge_ is selfish. _Revenge_, according to present usage, could not be said of G.o.d. To _retaliate_ may be necessary for self-defense, without the idea of _revenge_. Compare REVENGE.

Prepositions:

Avenge _on_ or _upon_ (rarely, avenge oneself _of_) a wrong-doer.

AVOW.

Synonyms:

knowledge, aver, confess, own, profess, testify, admit, avouch, declare, proclaim, protest, witness.

_Acknowledge_, _admit_, and _declare_ refer either to oneself or to others; all the other words refer only to one's own knowledge or action.

To _avow_ is to declare boldly and openly, commonly as something one is ready to justify, maintain, or defend. A man _acknowledges_ another's claim or his own promise; he _admits_ an opponent's advantage or his own error; he _declares_ either what he has seen or experienced or what he has received from another; he _avers_ what he is sure of from his own knowledge or consciousness; he gives his a.s.surance as the voucher for what he _avouches_; he _avows_ openly a belief or intention that he has silently held. _Avow_ and _avouch_ take a direct object; _aver_ is followed by a conjunction: a man _avows_ his faith, _avouches_ a deed, _avers_ that he was present. _Avow_ has usually a good sense; what a person _avows_ he at least does not treat as blameworthy, criminal, or shameful; if he did, he would be said to _confess_ it; yet there is always the suggestion that some will be ready to challenge or censure what one _avows_; as, the clergyman _avowed_ his dissent from the doctrine of his church. _Own_ applies to all things, good or bad, great or small, which one takes as his own. Compare CONFESS; STATE.

Antonyms:

contradict, deny, disavow, disclaim, disown, ignore, repudiate.

AWFUL.

Synonyms:

alarming, direful, frightful, majestic, solemn, appalling, dread, grand, n.o.ble, stately, august, dreadful, horrible, portentous, terrible, dire, fearful, imposing, shocking, terrific.

_Awful_ should not be used of things which are merely disagreeable or annoying, nor of all that are _alarming_ and _terrible_, but only of such as bring a solemn awe upon the soul, as in the presence of a superior power; as, the _awful_ hush before the battle. That which is _awful_ arouses an oppressive, that which is _august_ an admiring reverence; we speak of the _august_ presence of a mighty monarch, the _awful_ presence of death. We speak of an _exalted_ station, a _grand_ mountain, an _imposing_ presence, a _majestic_ cathedral, a _n.o.ble_ mien, a _solemn_ litany, a _stately_ march, an _august_ a.s.sembly, the _awful_ scene of the Judgment Day.

Antonyms:

base, contemptible, inferior, paltry, beggarly, despicable, lowly, undignified, commonplace, humble, mean, vulgar.